Karen's Hero
by Rachel D
Summary: REVISED! There's a new boy in Stoneybrook. Karen really likes him, but will her two families accept him? No flames please! I know you don't like it when I'm angry! COMPLETED!
1. Fall

_**KAREN'S HERO**_

A/N: For story purposes, Karen is still seven, and when she's at her dad's, her mom picks her up at school and takes her to friends' houses. I don't own any of the characters, except the Everett family—Steve, Diann, Jason, and Bebe.

**CHAPTER 1: Fall**

Hi! My name is Karen Brewer. I'm seven years old and in second grade at Stoneybrook Academy, which is a private school. I'm actually supposed to be in first, but I skipped a grade after the first week. I have blond hair, blue eyes, a few freckles, and glasses. Well, actually, two pairs: blue ones for reading, and pink ones for the rest of the time, except when I'm sleeping. In fact, I have two of a lot of things. For example, two houses: a little one (Mommy's, which I'm at right now) and a big one (Daddy's, which I'll tell you more about later).

I was in the backyard with one of my best friends, Nancy Dawes, who lives next door to Mommy's house. My other best friend, Hannie Papadakis, lives across the street from Daddy's house. We're in Ms. Colman's second-grade class and call ourselves the Three Musketeers.

Nancy and I were playing in the leaves, which were all these different shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. It was gigundoly pretty.

"You know what?" Nancy asked me.

"What?" I asked.

"I've always thought that the leaves looked like fireworks when they're in the sun."

"Really?" I asked. I'd never thought of that before.

Nancy nodded. "The only difference is, these fireworks don't blow up."

I giggled, then I got an idea. "Let's make our own fireworks!"

"How?"

"Watch this. You might want to stand back first."

Nancy took three giant steps backward, being careful not to step on a tree root. I knelt down, scooped a big pile of leaves up in my arms and threw them into the air. "BOOM! KA-BOOM! FWOOM!" I yelled as they fell to the ground.

"Hey, cool!" Nancy said excitedly. "Let me try!" She took two tiny handfuls of leaves and threw them into the air, too, but she added whistles to her sound effects.

"And the best part is, you don't have to use your indoor voice!" I laughed. (I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard, "Indoor voice, Karen.")

Nancy and I kept making fireworks until Mommy called from the kitchen, "Karen! We're leaving in five minutes!"

I knew what that meant. It meant that in just five minutes, my brother, Andrew, who's almost five, and I were going to Daddy's house. "See you at school tomorrow, Nancy," I said as I headed up the steps to the porch.

"Fireworks tomorrow?" she asked.

"Sure," I grinned, then hurried inside to grab my knapsack. You see, the reason why we were leaving today is because Mommy and Seth were going to Nebraska for a few days. They were leaving tomorrow, and coming back on Sunday. I kind of wished Andrew and I were going, too, but Mommy and Seth said that we shouldn't miss school. (Andrew goes to preschool, by the way.) Oh, well, at least we'd get to see more of our big-house family.


	2. What Is A TwoTwo?

**CHAPTER 2: What Is A Two-Two?**

You're probably wondering why I have two houses, right? Well, you see, it's because Mommy and Daddy got a divorce a long time ago. They used to love each other a whole lot when they had Andrew and me, but then they started having trouble getting along. They told Andrew and me that even though they still loved us very much, and always would, they just didn't love each other anymore. Mommy, Andrew, and I moved into a little house, and Daddy stayed at the big house, because it's where he grew up. Mommy and Daddy have also remarried. No, not to each other. Well, that's life, I guess.

Mommy married Seth, who's our stepfather, and soon after that, Daddy met and married Elizabeth, who's our stepmother. Elizabeth was married once before she married Daddy, so she has four kids from her first marriage: Charlie, who's seventeen, and Sam, who's fifteen are old enough to be in high school. Kristy is thirteen, and the best baby-sitter and big sister I could ask for. David Michael is my age. He can be a HUGE pest sometimes, but most of the time, he's okay. Ever since I got my glasses, he's called me "Professor". When I first got them, he heard Charlie and Sam saying that I looked smart, like a professor, and that's why he's called me that ever since. I guess I should mind, but I don't. I'm pretty used to it by now. Then there's Emily. Daddy and Elizabeth adopted her from Vietnam, a country in Asia, which is all the way on the other side of the world. She's two years old, and even though she can be a little bratty, she's still a good kid.

Oh, I almost forgot something. Kristy is also the president of the Baby-sitters Club. She runs it with some of her friends, and they baby-sit for a lot of the kids in Stoneybrook. Kristy usually baby-sits for Emily, my brothers, and me. The only other person at the big house is Nannie, Elizabeth's mother. She moved in to help when Daddy and Elizabeth adopted Emily. There's also Shannon, David Michael's dog, and Boo-Boo, Daddy's cat. Speaking of Boo-Boo, for as long as I can remember, he's been a real grouch, but lately, he's _just starting _to mellow out. Go figure!

You know what? Sometimes I feel like living in the big-house neighborhood is like living in Halloweentown. A witch lives next door to us. Daddy says that her name is Mrs. Porter, but her witch name is Morbidda Destiny. And the ghost of my great-grandfather, Ben Brewer, haunts the attic and third floor. In fact, Boo-Boo is scared to death of old Ben, and that's why he refuses to go up there. I've told this to everyone in my big-house family, but they don't believe me.

Andrew and I have pets that travel back and forth with us. I have a rat nameed Emily Junior (guess who I named her after?), and Andrew has a pet hermit crab named Bob. Oh, and there are pets at the little house: Rocky, Seth's cat, and Midgie, his dog. I also have two stuffed cats: Moosie lives at the big house, and Goosie lives at the big house. I used to have one special blanket, Tickly, but I kept leaving it behind at one house or the other. I finally tore Tickly in half, so I could have a piece at each house.

Since Andrew and I have toys, books, and clothes at each house, and don't have to pack much to go between them, I call us Karen and Andrew Two-Two. I got the name from a book that Ms. Colman read our class called _Jacob Two-Two Meets The Hooded Fang._

On the way to Daddy's house, Andrew and I were looking out the window at the leaves falling from the trees. I happened to notice a big truck parked at the end of the block. "Hey, look!" I exclaimed as I pointed out the window.

"Well, it looks like somebody's moving in," Mommy said.

"Does that mean we're getting new neighbors?" Andrew asked.

"Sure looks like it," Mommy answered.

I wondered what our new neighbors were like. Hopefully, they were nice people.


	3. The New Kids on the Block

**CHAPTER 3: The New Kid(s) on the Block**

The next day after school, my brothers and I were sitting at the kitchen table, eating frozen yogurt bars, when Kristy came in. "Hey, you guys," she said. (Didn't I tell you that she was the best big sister ever?) "How was school today?"

"Oh, same old, same old," I answered, reaching for a couple of napkins. Even in the fall, frozen yogurt bars are pretty messy.

"Oh, there's a new girl at my school," David Michael spoke up. He goes to Stoneybrook Elementary, and like I said before, I go to Stoneybrook Academy, a private school.

"Oh, really?" Kristy asked.

David Michael nodded. "She's in fifth grade," he said.

"Oh, a future BSC member?" I asked. You see, in order to be one, you have to be in at least the sixth grade.

Kristy laughed. "So, what's her name?" she asked.

"Bebe Everett," David Michael answered.

That's when Kristy got a look on her face, which told us she'd heard that name before. "That's a coincidence!" she said. "There's a new boy in my homeroom, English class, and study hall, and his name's Jason Everett."

That _was _a coincidence! So much for same old, same old, huh? "So, how did you meet him?" I asked.

"Well, when Claudia and I walked into homeroom, we saw him sitting in the second row, about two desks down from where I sit," Kristy answered. "He turned around and waved to us, and I thought for sure that Claudia was going to pass out on the spot."

"What's 'pass out' mean?" Andrew asked. I could tell he'd never heard that expression before.

"It means she thinks he's _cu-ute," _David Michael answered, making the most disgusting face he could. I don't know why, but he doesn't like to hear people talk like that.

"Oh, it's not that bad, is it?" Kristy asked, ruffling his hair.

"Aaanywaaay..." we all said together. That always cracks me up big-time.

"When he introduced himself, I noticed that he had an accent," Kristy continued. "In fact, he told us that he was originally from Scotland."

"Is Scotland where they all wear those skirts and play those things that look like broken vacuum cleaners?" Andrew asked.

"They're called kilts," David Michael corrected him.

"And those 'things' are called bagpipes," Kristy added. If you ask me, I think she was hiding the fact that she hates listening to them. She once told me that she thought they sounded like twenty cats fighting over a piece of fish.

"Hey, you know what?" David Michael said. "This new girl also has an accent."

"Is she from Scotland, too?" I asked.

"No, she's from Canada," he answered.

"So, how did you two meet?" Kristy asked, sitting down at the table with us and popping open a can of Diet Vernor's. Ever since Daddy had his heart attack—a very mild one, by the way—that's the only kind of soda he'll buy. And it tastes _horrilbe!_

"Well, I was having trouble with my locker, which is a piece of junk," David Michael said. "She came by and saw me having trouble, gave it a little push, and got it open."

This was turning out to be quite an interesting conversation, and I knew to make it even more interesting. "Well, yesterday, when Mommy was on her way to drop us off, we saw a big truck parked at the end of the block," I said. "So, I guess we've got new neighbors."

"I knew it!" Andrew cried excitedly.

"I have to tell Linny!" David Michael exclaimed, and he was out of the kitchen in a second.

"Well, it looks like that new apartment complex has its first tenants," Kristy said.

"Apartments?" I asked.

She nodded. "They just finished building them a week ago."

When I heard Kristy say that, I could _really _forget about same old, same old!


	4. Jason

**CHAPTER 4: Jason**

That following Saturday, Charlie was going to give Kristy, Hannie, and me a ride to the library on his way to a basketball game with some of his friends. A lot of the Stoneybrook High kids get together to play in the school gym on the weekends.

"So, what do you think? Can the Junk Bucket manage to stay in one piece?" Kristy teased as she pulled on her Mets jacket.

"I'll tell you what, Sis," Charlie said. "If I get a flat tire, lose my muffler, _and _get into a fender-bender with Mr. D'Amato, I'll help you with your share of the housework for a week."

"Does that include giving Boo-Boo his ear medicine?" Kristy asked.

_I hope not, _I thought. If there's one thing that poor old cat hates, it's ear medicine. Just looking at it makes him throw a fit, and I'm actually impressed that a cat his age can still do that.

"Sure, why not?" Charlie said.

"'Bye, Nannie," I called.

"'Bye, kids," Nannie answered from the kitchen. She was giving Emily her breakfast, and from what I could see, more food wound up on the floor than in Emily's mouth. In fact, I saw Emily smack the spoon away, and a glob of Cream of Wheat landed right in Nannie's hair!

"I feed Nannie!" she squealed.

_At least she's not trying to feed Boo-Boo, _I thought as we left.

At the library, the first thing we did was return the books we'd borrowed. Of the three of us, it turned out that I was the only one who had to pay a fine. Boo. Luckily, only one of my books was overdue.

After that, Hannie and I went downstairs to the children's room while Kristy went to the computer lab to check her e-mail. While we were downstairs, we ran into Ricky Torres. He's in our class, and he's also my pretend husband. We got married on the playground one day.

"Hi, Ricky," I whispered. I'm really good at remembering to use my indoor voice at the library. Ricky turned around, and that's when we noticed something different: he didn't have his glasses.

"Hi," he said.

"What happened to your glasses?" Hannie asked.

"Aw, they're broken," Ricky answered glumly. "I was cleaning them last night, and I guess I don't know my own strength, because the lenspiece just snapped in half. I'm just glad the lens itself didn't break."

"Uh-oh," I said. "Can you still see?"

"A little," he said. "I mean, I can see you two and the blackboard, but I just can't see very far away. Listen, I've got to run. My mom's upstairs waiting for me."

"Okay," Hannie said. "See you Monday."

"See you," I said.

After Ricky left, Hannie nudged me and whispered, "Did you hear how you just said that?"

"No," I said. "How?"

"It sounded really mushy-gushy, like syrup," she answered. "Not that I'm making fun of you, but I thought I was going to get a cavity just listening to it."

I knew Hannie wouldn't make fun of me, but I was still wishing she hadn't said that.

After we got our books, we headed upstairs to wait for Kristy. There's some leather couches near the main desk where people read their books before checking them out. I guess my shoe was coming untied, because on the way over, I tripped over my shoelace. I put my hands out to keep from landing on my face, but at the same time, I spilled my books all over the floor.

"Double boo," I whispered angrily. I felt like such a gigundo idiot. Oh, well, at least I didn't hurt myself.

I tied my shoe and started to pick up my books when I heard a voice ask, "Need some help?"

I looked up. Kneeling beside me was an older boy, maybe around Kristy or Sam's age. He had really dark black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, green eyes, Vulcan-looking eyebrows, a little shark's-tooth earring in his left ear, and a scar on his right cheek. He was also wearing a red T-shirt with the words "THIN LIZZY" in black letters on the front, light blue jeans, black boots, and a black leather jacket.

Now I knew what Kristy meant when she said that Claudia looked like she was ready to pass out. He was CUTE!

"I, uh—well, thanks," I managed to say. After staring at him with my eyes and mouth wide open and looking like a dork, I had to say something to him, right?  
"Sure," he said as he picked up the last of my books. He started to hand it to me, then stopped. "Whoa! The Berenstain Bears!" he exclaimed. "I used to read these all the time when I was a kid!"

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. My favorite was the one where they broke their mum's lamp and told her a bird did it!"

Mum? Could this boy—yes! This boy was our new neighbor! How about that!

"Oh, yeah, that's a good one," I agreed, hiding the fact that I knew who he really was.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right," he said as we stood up.

"Thanks," I said. "So, uh, do you live around here?"

"Aye," he answered.

"Huh?"

"Aye. That's how we say yes in Scotland. It's spelled A-Y-E. Anyway, we just moved here a few days ago. You know that new apartment complex on McLelland?"

"The one that was just built?"

He nodded. "My stepdad's the new superintendent over there. That means he's in charge of groundskeeping, maintenance, things like that."

"Really?" I asked. If I sounded fascinated, that's because I was. "My name's Karen Brewer."

"Jason. Jason Everett," he said, politely extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Jason," I said as I shook his hand. That's when I noticed a ring on his right middle finger. It was silver with a black cross on it.

"That's a Celtic cross," he explained. "I got this ring on my eleventh birthday. Actually, it used to belong to my granny on my mum's side of the family, and she left it to me in her will. Beauty, isn't it? It's Sterling silver, and the cross is onyx."

"Wow!" was all I could say. That ring was a real gigundo beauty!

That's when I heard Kristy calling my name. "Okay, Karen, let's go check out," she said. Then she saw Jason. "Oh, hi, Jason!"

"Hi, Kristy," he said, only he pronounced her name "Kris-_teh." _I wonder if everybody in Scotland talks this way?

While Kristy and Jason talked, I ran over to where Hannie was sitting. "Hannie," I whispered excitedly. "Look who's over there!"

She closed her book and looked up. "Is that our new neighbor?" he asked. And let me tell you, when she saw Jason, her eyes were as big as an owl's.

I nodded and giggled. I still couldn't get over how cute he was.

"What a doll!" she marveled. I had to agree with her. "Just don't tell Scott I said that, okay?" (Scott Hsu is Hannie's pretend husband, by the way.)

"I won't, if you won't tell Ricky," I said.

"Deal." And we pinky-swore. We both thought Jason seemed like a great guy.


	5. A Little Talk

**CHAPTER 5: A Little Talk**

The four of us walked out of the library, after checking out our books. On our way to one of the benches near the book drop, Kristy said to Jason, "Listen, my brother's coming by in a few minutes to take us home. Do you need a ride?"

"No, that's okay," Jason said. "I've got one."

Boy, I'll say he did! Parked beside the curb was a black motor scooter with a dark blue helmet resting between the handlebars. The helmet had a British flag painted on the left side. (Yes, I know I'm only seven, but I've seen a British flag before.) It looked pretty cool.

"Wow!" Kristy exclaimed as I let out an impressed whistle. "Nice wheels, dude!"

"Thanks," Jason grinned. That was the first time I noticed his teeth. They were so gleaming white that they could literally glow in the dark, and they were neatly lined up like bowling pins. I guessed he'd worn braces when he was younger.

"Where did you get this?" Hannie asked. She was just as blown away as I was.

"Well, Hannie," he said. (I couldn't help noticing that he pronounced her name "Han-_neh.") _"I got it from my mum and stepdad for Christmas last year. They'd gotten it from a dealership in Stamford. I've only got seven more payments to make on it before its paid off."

"How are you paying for it?" I asked. I knew there was no way I'd ever be able to afford a bike like that. Well, not now, at least.

"I'm starting a paper route on Monday," Jason answered, zipping up his jacket. "In addition, my stepdad's uncle is a retired karate instructor. Both he and my Uncle Joe—Mum's brother, who works for Scotland Yard—both send my mum $160 a month to help pay child support for Bebe."

"Your sister?" I asked.

He nodded and got on the bike. "Mum usually gives me ten percent of that. Well, I'll see you guys later."

"'Bye, Jason," Kristy said. "See you at school on Monday."

"Nice meeting you," I added.

"You, too," Jason said, putting on his helmet. Then he started the motor and drove off.

"He seems like a really nice guy, huh?" Hannie commented as soon as Jason was out of sight.

"Yeah, I suppose," Kristy admitted. I could also tell that she thought Jason was cute.

"I wonder how he got that scar on his face?" I asked. "He must have hurt himself pretty badly to get a scar like that."

"I don't know, Karen, but I think it looks pretty cool," Hannie said.

This was when Kristy got a serious look on her face. "Look, you two," she began. "I know you think he seems nice. I do, too, to tell you the truth. But sometimes, not always, but sometimes, people aren't what they appear to be. Furthermore, Jason's not only new to Stoneybrook, but also this country, and he's really trying to get used to the way things are here, so I think it'd be a good idea for us to give him his own personal space, okay?"

Hannie and I nodded. Kristy put her left fist out in front of her. I put my hand on it, and Hannie put hers on mine, and we al agreed. By then, Charlie was arriving. And, believe it or not, the Junk Bucket was still in one piece!

"Hi, you guys," he said as we got in the car.

"So, how was the game?" Kristy asked.

"Well," Charlie said. "I don't mean to pat myself on the back or toot my own horn, but-" And he honked the horn twice, while patting himself on the back. I don't know which was funnier: Charlie patting his own back, or the fact that the horn sounded like a flock of geese flying south for the winter. Sick geese, that is!


	6. Bebe

**CHAPTER 6: Bebe**

When we got home, we found Sam raking leaves in the front yard. "Hi," he called.

"Hi, Sam," Kristy answered as we got out of the car. "Hey, is Mom home?"

Sam shook his head. "She and Nannie went out shopping a little while ago," he answered.

"How about Daddy?" I asked.

"He's in his office, Andrew's inside watching _SpongeBob, _and Emily's taking her nap," Sam answered as he finished raking and leaned against the rake. "Whew! I know I could use the exercise, but I still wish that Watson would get a leaf-blower!" he complained.

We all laughed as we headed up the front steps. Then the front door opened, and out came David Michael, Hannie's brother, Linny, and a girl who looked about an inch and a half taller than both boys. She had strawberry-blond hair that came down to her waist, gray eyes, and silver braces. She was also wearing a red Stamford University sweatshirt, tan khakis, and brown-and-white Chuck Taylor high-tops. "Hi," she smiled. She was really pretty. "I'm Bebe."

"Hi, Bebe," Kristy said. "I'm Kristy, and this is my stepsister, Karen, and her friend, Hannie."

After Hannie and I shook hands with Bebe, I said, "You know, we met your brother at the library today."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," Hannie said. "And let me tell you, he-"

_Uh-oh, _I thought. I could tell that Hannie was about to tell Bebe that she thought Jason was cute, but she stopped herself when she saw Kristy giving her the _Don't say another word _look. And belive me, I've gotten that look from her plenty of times.

"-seems pretty nice," Hannie said. Kristy nodded.

"So, how do you guys like Stoneybrook so far?" Kristy asked.

"Oh, it's a nice place to live," Bebe said. "If there's one thing it's got plenty of, it's peace and quiet."

"Yeah, I suppose it does," David Michael agreed. "Well, except for this place when all of us Thomases and Brewers are home."

We all got another good laugh, then Linny checked his watch and said, "Hey, Hannie, we'd better get home for lunch."

"Yup," Hannie agreed. "Saturday is chiliburger day at the Papadakis house."

"'Bye," I called as they left. "Say hi to Sari for us!" Sari is their little sister. She's Emily's age.

"Yeah, I'd better get home, too," Bebe said. "I promised Diann I'd help her with lunch."

"Diann?" I asked.

"Jason's mom," Bebe explained.

"Oh."

"Well, nice meeting you, Bebe," Kristy said, giving her a little punch on the arm. That's her way of hugging someone.

"Hey, Bebe, do you think you could show me how to throw that curve ball of yours sometime?" David Michael asked. "I want to get my arm in shape for next year's Krushers games." Kristy has a softball team called Kristy's Krushers, and my brothers and I, along with several other neighborhood kids, are all members.

"Sure, DM," Bebe answered, giving him an arm-punch as well. (DM? That's got to be short for David Michael. I hope he doesn't mind her calling him that.)

"Thanks," David Michael said as she left. "See you Monday."

Bebe waved to us as she headed for the apartments, and the three of us headed inside for lunch. Boy, our new neighbors are nicer than I thought!


	7. Dinner Talk

**CHAPTER 7: Dinner Talk**

That evening, we were sitting around the dining room table, having dinner. Nannie, Elizabeth, and Daddy had cooked mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, lima beans, and one of my all-time favorites, Swedish meatballs. I absolutely love those, especially when Nannie makes them. She knows just how to make them taste just the right way.

"So, what did you do today?" Daddy asked, helping himself to the gravy.

"Well, we went to the library," Kristy answered, taking a bite of her roll. "By the way, any word on when the computer will be done?"

"Soon, we hope," Elizabeth answered. "That was quite a virus we got."

"Does that mean the rest of us are going to come down with something?" Andrew asked worriedly.

"It's not that kind of virus, Andrew," Sam said as he got himself a second helping of lima beans. "It just means that our computer isn't working right, and needs to be fixed."

"Oh," Andrew said. He still didn't get it, but at least he knew what we were talking about. Well, sort of.

I couldn't wait to tell everybody about how we'd met Jason and Bebe. "Oh, you know those new apartments at the end of the block?" I asked. "Well, Hannie and I met the new boy at Kristy's school at the library today, and not only does he live in one of the apartments, but his stepdaddy's the superintendent of the whole complex."

"And his sister goes to my school," David Michael added, taking a bite of potatoes. "I'll just bet her locker's in better shape than mine."

"And she calls David Michael DM," I said. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," he answered.

"Remember how Jason sounds when he talks?" I asked Kristy. "I think it's so cool how he pronounces your name, Kristy. See, he puts the _'eh' _sound at the end of 'Kristy' and 'Hannie', instead of the _'ee' _sound."

"Oh, that's nothing!" David Michael said. "Bebe says 'sore-y' instead of 'sorry', and 'oht' and 'aboht' instead of 'out' and 'about'."

"I'm glad _somebody _likes their accents," Kristy said. I hadn't noticed how quiet she'd been until now. Most people say it's because I talk too much.

"What do you mean?" Daddy asked.

"Well," Kristy said, laying her fork down, "a couple of days ago at school, which was also Jason's first day, he was sitting with us BSC members at lunch, and one of the guys in the Badd Boyz—you know, the gang that got Logan in trouble at Sound Eideas—started shooting his mouth off at us. Of course, Jason got up and told him to leave us alone, and that's when he started in on Jason, making fun of his accent, mostly. Well, they had a few words, and then this jerk started poking Jason in the chest with his finger and really egging him on, so Abby shoved him and told him to get lost. And then, do you know what he did after that?"

I pretty much lost my appetite, because I could tell by the looks on the adults' faces that they weren't going to like what was coming next.

"He said something about Jason letting us girls fight his battles for him, and Jason just lost it!" Kristy continued. It was obvious that she was trying to keep herself from either crying or getting mad. "He grabbed the guy by the neck and slammed him against the wall. If Mr. Taylor hadn't broken it up, Jason probably would've rearranged this guy's face! And this happened in front of _everybody. _I thought I was going to die, I was so embarrassed."

That's when it hit me: "I think it'd be a good idea for us to give Jason his own personal space," Kristy had said. Right away, I realized why she'd said that: Jason had a really bad temper.

For a moment, nobody said a word. Sam just continued eating as if nothing had happened. Charlie and David Michael got up to take their dishes to the kitchen. David Michael looked a little frightened, but poor Andrew was sitting there with his eyes wide open. I thought for sure he was going to start crying. Emily, on the other hand, wasn't paying any attention to us.

It took some time for people to start talking again, and I expected Kristy, of all people, to be the one to say something. Instead, Daddy broke the silence.

"Kristy," he said with a sigh. "I understand that you thought this boy was nice for standing up for you and your friends. I get that. But he could've seriously injured either himself or somebody else. And you know that your mother and I don't approve of resorting to violence as a way to solve your problems."

"But he didn't hurt anybody!" Kristy protested.

"That's not the point here, darlin'," Elizabeth explained. "The point is, Jason and this other kid could've gotten into a fight, and you could've gotten seriously hurt, because you and the other girls were in the way. Do you understand what Watson and I are trying to say here?"

Kristy nodded. She also looked like she was going to start crying.

"Okay," Elizabeth said, handing her dishes to Nannie. "Now, I think it'd be in your best interest, and also Karen's, if Jason were left alone from now on, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Kristy mumbled. She got up from the table and left the dining room. I took Andrew's hand, and we followed Kristy.

I knew Daddy and Elizabeth were looking out for us, but I couldn't believe what they'd just said.


	8. Mommy's Flat Tire

**CHAPTER 8: Mommy's Flat Tire**

All weekend long, I couldn't stop thinking about what we'd talked about at dinner. I mean, I really liked Jason. He was friendly, he was cool, and he had a neat sister. After hearing what Daddy and Elizabeth had to say, though, I just couldn't believe that he would act that way.

Now, I'm not saying that I've never lost my temper, or done or said something stupid when I'm angry, but I would never lash out at someone the way he did. The one thing that really stuck out in my mind about that was the fact that Kristy and Abby could've gotten hurt, whether it was an accident or not.

Anyway, I decided, as a favor to Daddy and Elizabeth, to stay away from Jason.

On Monday after school, Nancy and I were waiting for Mommy. She was going to pick us up and take us to the big house so the Three Musketeers could hang out together. Normally, it's a lot of fun, but I wasn't as enthusiastic as I usually am.

"Are you all right, Karen?" Nancy asked. I guessed she'd noticed how quiet I'd been all day.

"Huh?" I answered. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

I wasn't totally fine, of course. I wanted to tell Nancy about Jason, and about what Kristy had said he'd done, but I just couldn't. I tried to put it out of my mind as I saw Mommy's car drive up. Nancy and I got in the backseat.

"Hi, girls," Mommy said as we fastened our seatbelts. "How was school today?"

"Oh, pretty good," Nancy said. I knew I'd be able to count on her not to tell Mommy that she thought something was wrong with me.

On the way to the big house, Nancy and I were talking about that night's homework, what the three of us could do together, that sort of thing. To my surprise, I thought less and less about Jason.

I was wiping off the lenses of my glasses with my shirttail when all of a sudden...BAM! We'd run over something! I'm not sure if we did, but the impact almost made me drop my glasses. Luckily, I caught them before they landed on the floor.

The next thing I noticed was that we were slowing down. That could only mean one thing: a flat tire. And nothing's worse than getting a flat tire.

"Oh, great," Mommy groaned, stopping the car and slamming her fists on the steering wheel.

"Want Nancy and me to get help?" I asked.

"No, you two stay put," Mommy answered. "I'm going to see which tire went flat."

Boo. Oh, well. I was glad we were almost there.

A minute later, Mommy got back in the car. "Well, the back tire on the passenger side is shot," she told us.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Nancy asked worriedly.

"Not if I can help it," Mommy said, rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. She always manages to stay positive, no matter what. "I'm calling Daddy, and asking him to come get you."

I started to feel a little better, until I heard Mommy shout, "Oh, NO! Not you, too!"

"What happened?"

"My cell phone's dead!" Mommy cried angrily. She rested her arms on the steering wheel and presed her index and middle fingers against her forehead.

Boo and bullfrogs! Not only were we stranded, but we also couldn't call for help! I was almost ready to jump out of the car and flag someone down when I saw someone on a motor scooter coming our way. I didn't think anything of it at first, then this person stopped beside us and removed their helmet.

Jason! Where did he come from?

"Is everything all right, ma'am?" he asked Mommy.

"I'm afraid not," Mommy sighed. "I've got a flat tire, and my cell phone's dead."

"Oh, boy," Jason said. He put his backpack on the hood of the car, opened a little pouch on the side, and took out another cell phone. "Here, you can borrow mine. I recharged it just this morning."

"Wow, thanks!" Mommy exclaimed. "Thanks a lot!"

I think all of us were relieved. I know I was. At the same time, though, I was worried about what Daddy would say when he found out that it was Jason who had helped us. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too upset.

As it turned out, Charlie was the one who picked us up. Jason had already left by the time he'd arrived. We also wondered how Mommy would get home.

"Don't worry, Karen," she said. "I called a tow truck after I called Daddy's, so I'll get home all right."

Good. I guess Jason's not such a bad guy after all.


	9. What to Do?

**CHAPTER 9: What To Do?**

As soon as we got to the big house, the three of us went upstairs to do our homework. After listening to Nancy go on and on about how cute she thought Jason was, not to mention having Hannie ask me, for what seemed like the millionth time, if I was all right, I finally decided to tell them what was bothering me. After all, we were the Three Musketeers.

I told them everything: how I'd met Jason, what Kristy had said about what happened at her school last week, what Daddy and Elizabeth had told Kristy and me, and how Jason helped Mommy.

And you know what? I actually felt a little better after I told them, but not much.

"Does your dad know about this?" Hannie asked.

I shook my head. "I don't want him to, either," I said.

"But, you know, if it wasn't for Jason, we'd still be stuck out there," Nancy pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true," I admitted.

"So, why would your dad be upset?" Hannie asked. "Someone had to help your mom, right?"

"But Daddy and Kristy told me to give him his own personal space," I reminded them. "And besides, I didn't even know I was going to see him today. He was just...well, he was just there."

"Well, I don't know about you, Karen, but if I had a flat tire and my cell phone was dead, I'd rather get help from someone I'm not supposed to see than no help at all," Nancy said. (By the way, Nancy's probably going to kill me for saying this, but she was practically fainting over Jason while she was talking about him, just like I'd been at the library.)

Anyway, as much as I hated to admit it, I knew that both of them were right. I still wondered, however, if Daddy knew that I'd seen Jason today. I was also afraid that he'd be angry with me.

"Nancy!" I heard Kristy call from downstairs. "Your mom's here!"

"Okay," Nancy called back. While she gathered her things, she said reassuringly, "Don't worry, Karen. It'll be all right."

"Yeah," Hannie added, patting my shoulder. "I'm sure your dad will understand."

I wanted so, so badly to believe them, but I didn't.


	10. Telling Daddy

A/N: In case you're wondering, the back tire on the passenger side is the one Barry Bostwick kicks in _RHPS._

**CHAPTER 10: Telling Daddy**

After Hannie went home, I had some time to really think. After a few minutes, I knew what I had to do. I had no choice. I had to tell Daddy.

I went downstairs to his office. If you don't thik I was shaking like a leaf the whole time, you're crazy. Honestly, I hadn't felt this scared since the time I'd lost Kristy's pin in the snow, and until we found it, I didn't think she'd ever get over that one.

Part of me was hoping that Daddy's office door would be closed, which means that we're not to disturb him, but it was open, much to my dismay. I couldn't even move.

_Stop it! _I told myself. _Stop being such a baby, go in there and say it!_

I slowly opened the office door and peeked inside. There was Daddy, dusting the bookshelves. "Hi, Daddy," I said softly as I stepped into the room.

"Hi, babe," he said. "How was school today?"

"Fine," I answered. So far, so good.

"I heard you had some car trouble," Daddy commented. "Say, could you hand me that photo of Andrew's christening?"

I picked up the photo and looked at it for a moment. Even though I'm older than him, I don't remember much about that day, just that I had to stand still and be quiet. Besides Mommy's and Daddy's weddings, I think that's the only time I've stood still for more than a minute. Well, except for when I saw Morbidda Destiny coming down the aisle at Daddy and Elizabeth's wedding. Then I had to act.

After I finished looking at the photo, I handed it to Daddy. "Thanks," he said, putting it back in its place.

This was it. There was no turning back now. "Um, Daddy? I have something to tell you."

He got down from the stepstool, pulled up his desk chair, and sat down. "So, what's on your mind, Karen?" he asked.

"Well," I began, swallowing hard. "Remember what you and Elizabeth told us about Jason?"

"Yes."

"Well, when Mommy got that flat tire and couldn't call you, Jason happened to shop up and let Mommy borrow his cell phone. She called a tow truck, and Charlie brought Nancy and me here."

There. I said it. All in one breath, that is, but I still said it. Now, all I had to do was wait for what Daddy had to say. "Actually, I already knew that," he said calmly.

I was caught completely off-guard. I mean, really. I had no idea how he already knew. "You did?" I asked.

"Mommy told me," he answered. "She said that some kid named Jason let her borrow his cell phone."

"Are...are you mad at me, Daddy?" I asked. It took everything I had not to start crying. "I know you told us to keep our distance, but he just showed up. I didn't even know I was going to see him today."

"No, I'm not angry at you, Karen," Daddy said, pulling me onto his lap. "First of all, I know I wanted you girls to let him be, but that was because of what Kristy had said happened at her school last week. We were concerned for your safety, but was before Kristy came to us and told us he'd apologized for what he'd done. Also, he was there when Mommy needed help."

I felt like I'd been holding my breath for over an hour and could finally let it out. It was such a gigundo relief that Daddy wasn't angry with me. "So, is it all right with you if I see or talk to Jason again?" I asked hopefully.

Daddy thought for a minute. "Well, I don't see why not," he answered. "But it would still be wise to make sure that you don't make a nuisance of yourself. Does that sound fair?"

I nodded and gave Daddy a hug, then kissed the bald spot on his forehead.

"Okay," Daddy said as I slid off his lap. "How about helping me finish up here?"

"Sure!" I grinned. I always enjoy helping Daddy. As long as I'm doing the easy part of the helping!


	11. Jason's Song

A/N: The song "Daniel" is by Elton John.

**CHAPTER 11: Jason's Song**

I felt so much better after talking to Daddy. In fact, I was in such a good mood, the next day at school, I talked to almost anybody who came up to me, including the big kids. The only problem was, I think I forgot to raise my hand at least three times during class today. I'm just glad Ms. Coman doesn't yell at kids.

After school, Mommy picked us up to take us to the little house. Actually, since her car had a flat tire, she had to bororw Seth's van. It usually has tools, blueprints, and stuff like that strewn all over the backseat. Today, though, it was so clean, I wouldn't have recognized it.

"I finally talked Seth into cleaning out the backseat!" Mommy laughed as we got in the van. "That's one less thing on his 'to-do' list!"

When we got to the little house, the first thing we saw was Jason's motor scooter parked beside the curb. Before I could ask what was going on, the front door opened, and out came Seth, Jason, and Bebe.

"Hi," Seth said as we got out of the van.

"Hi, Seth," Mommy said. "Hi, Jason."

"Hi, Mrs. Engle," Jason said. "Oh, this is my stepsister, Bebe."

"Nice to meet you, Bebe," Mommy said as they shook hands. "So, Jason, what brings you here?"

"Well, my bike, for one," Jason joked.

"Actually," Seth explained, "I invited him. See, he and his sister came by my shop this afternoon, and he told me that he'd read the want ad I'd placed in the newspaper." (The reason why Seth ran the ad is because his regular assistant had to go to Maine to help take care of a sick relative, and he didn't want Mommy to have to help out too much.) "Anyway," Seth continued, "I told Jason I'd need someone to help me on Saturdays, and he said he'd be glad to help out. That, and I also needed someone to help me reattach the door on the toolshed."

"He's really good at working with his hands," Bebe added. "He even helps my daddy around the apartments."

"Well, see you Saturday, Jason," Seth said.

"No problem," Jason agreed, shaking Seth's hand. Then Seth and Mommy went inside.

Just then, Mrs. Dawes came up the street, pushing Nancy's baby brother, Danny, in his stroller. I still remember when Nancy made me Danny's fairy godsister. Since none of my parents were planning on having any more kids, that really meant the world to me.

"Hi, Mommy!" Nancy called. "Hi, Danny!"

"Hi, Nancy, hi, girls," Mrs. Dawes answered. When she saw Jason and Bebe, she said hello to them, then asked, "Who are your friends?"

I introduced Mrs. Dawes to Jason and Bebe. "Seth just gave him a part-time job," I explained as Mrs. Dawes reached into her purse for her keys.

"Oh, that was nice of him," she said. "Would you kids like to come in?"

"Yes, thanks," Jason answered. Then, motioning to Danny, he asked, "How old is he?"

"He just turned five months old," Mrs. Dawes answered as she unlocked the door.

"Oh, he's adorable," Bebe said sweetly as we went inside.

"Thanks," Mrs. Dawes said as she put Danny in his playpen.

That's when he started crying. We didn't know what was wrong, until Nancy looked at the clock and asked, "Mommy, isn't it time for Danny's bottle?"

"Yes," Mrs. Dawes remembered. "Thanks for reminding me, honey." And she hurried into the kitchen.

In the meantime, we were left with trying to figure out a way to amuse either ourselves or Danny. He clearly didn't seem all that interested in his toys, for some reason. The next thing I knew, Jason was sitting beside the playpen, and then he started singing, very softly:

_"Daniel's trav'lin' tonight on a plane_

_ I can see the red taillights headin' for Spai-in;_

_ Oh, an' I can see Daniel wavin' good-bye_

_ God, it looks like Daniel, must be the clou-ouds in my eyes_

_ "They say Spain is pretty, 'though I've never been_

_ But Daniel says it's the best place that he's ever seen_

_ Oh, an' he should know, he's been there enough_

_ Oh, I miss Daniel, oh, Lord, I mi-iss him so much_

_ "Oh-oh-oh, Daniel, my brother, you are older than me_

_ Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal_

_ Your eyes have died, 'though you've seen more than I_

_ Daniel, you're a sta-ar in the face of the sky-y-y..."_

Whoa. The four of us just stood there. Bebe had a big smile on her face, which told us that Jason used to sing to her when she was little. Part of what made it so amazing was that Danny stopped crying. I guess he was able to calm down when he found out that Jason had such a beautiful voice.

When Mrs. Dawes came back, she was greeted with the sight of the three of us standing there with our eyes and mouths wide open, Danny cooing and touching Jason's hand through the playpen mesh, Bebe standing there smiling, and Jason sitting by Danny and smiling back at him.

Nancy was so grateful for what Jason did. She actually walked over and gave him a hug. Hannie, Bebe, and I looked at each other. Nancy had done exactly what the rest of us had been thinking. "Wait'll the other kids hear aobut this," Hannie whispered to me. I nodded in agreement.

Jason lifted Danny out of his playpen and handed him to Mrs. Dawes. "Nice meeting you," he said. Then he and Bebe started to leave.

"Thank you," Nancy called after him. Jason turned, grinned at her, then followed his sister out the door. And you know what? Jason may _look _like a bad boy, but after seeing how he was able to cheer Danny up, I just knew that he was not.


	12. Andrew's Accident

**CHAPTER 12: Andrew's Accident**

I couldn't wait to tell my big-house family about Jason's singing. Even though the words to the song didn't make any sense to me, I still liked it, mostly because it had Danny's name in it. Well, actually, he said "Daniel" instead of "Danny", but you get the idea.

The three of us were just finishing our homework when we heard a car horn honk outside. Daddy was here to take Hannie and me home. "'Bye, Nancy," I said as we put our backpacks on and headed for the door.

"'Bye, you guys," Nancy said.

When we got out to the curb, Daddy and Elizabeth were in the front seat of their green station wagon (it had been Elizabeth's car when she married Daddy), and there was something in the very back, but we couldn't quite out make out what it was.

"Hi, girls," Elizabeth said as we got in the car. That's when we noticed what was in the back: a bluish-gray bike with training wheels and a _Shrek _helmet!

"Wow!" Hannie said. "Where did the bike come from?"

"We got it at a yard sale," Daddy answered as we left Forest Drive. "A couple of our neighbors are moving to Ft. Lauderdale for their retirement. This bike used to belong to their grandson before he outgrew it, so they sold it to us."

"It's for Andrew, right?" I asked. I knew it couldn't possibly be for me, because I've long since taken the training wheels off my bike. Besides, Andrew was getting pretty sick of that trike, to tell you the truth.

"Yup," Elizabeth said.

I just knew that Andrew was going to love it.

Boy, did he ever! In fact, when he saw it, he ran and jumped all over the yard like the Energizer bunny on a cappuccino binge!

"Whoa, slow down there, little buddy!" Daddy laughed as he grabbed hold of Andrew. "I know you like the bike, but don't you think you should learn how to ride it first?"

Andrew instantly pulled himself together. "Oh, that makes sense," he said.

"Good," Daddy said. "And we'll be more than happy to help you learn, okay?"

"Okay," Andrew agreed. "Thanks a lot, Daddy."

"You're more than welcome, son."

"So, who gets Andrew's trike?" I asked.

"Well, we're giving it to Emily when she's old enough," Elizabeth answered.

Over the next few days, all of us took turns teaching Andrew how to ride his new bike, and he turned out to be a pretty fast learner. In fact, when Kristy saw how well he was doing, she suggested taking him, David Michael, and me on a bike ride that following Saturday.

"Oh, that would be so awesome!" I exclaimed. "It would be just like watching _The Sound of Music _without renting it!" _(The Sound of Music, _by the way, happens to be one of my favorite movies.)

Kristy laughed. "Great," she said. "Let's go ask my mom and your dad if it's okay."

Daddy and Elizabeth thought it would be all right. In fact, they reminded us how important it was that we wore our helmets. We promised them we'd be careful, especially my brothers and I.

Well, Saturday finally came. The four of us wheeled our bikes out to the curb.

"Wait, wait!" Sam called, running inside. "I want to get a picture!" He returned with his camera. "Okay, everybody stand close together, but not too close, okay? And yes, I promise to everyone in the picture, or your money back."

"Sam!" I laughed. He's such a tease.

He took the picture. "Beautiful," he said, in perhaps the worst-sounding French accent I'd ever heard. "This will look great on the front cover of _GQ."_

We all laughed as we got on our bikes and pedaled down the driveway. It was a beautiful, sunny day. There were red, yellow, orange, and brown leaves everywhere. After seeing the way the sunlight shone through them, I could understand why Nancy thought they looked like fireworks.

I knew we were supposed to stay with Kristy, but Andrew was so excited to have his own bike that he started pedaling faster than the rest of us.

"Andrew, wait!" I called, pedaling after him. I'd almost caught up with him to tell him to slow down, when out of nowhere, a little gray squirrel darted out in front of us! Andrew jammed on his brakes to stop himself from hitting it, but at the same time, he started to lose his balance. He tried to put his foot out in an attempt to regain control of the bike, but his right shoelace got caught in the chain. And that's when he fell.

BAM! The front of his helmet his a little brick wall that was beside him, and he collapsed in a heap.

"Oh, my God!" I cried, stopping my bike and running over to him. He wasn't bleeding, but hew as screaming. A whole, whole lot.

"KRISTY!" That scream came from me.


	13. Jason to the Rescue

**CHAPTER 13: Jason to the Rescue**

The first thing I did was very carefully move Andrew's bike off of him, but his screams and cries were so frightening that I could hardly hold on to it. Then I saw Kristy and David Michael. "Andrew's hurt!" I shouted to them.

They stopped their bikes and ran over. "Oh, no," Kristy gasped. She helped me untangle the shoelace and move the bike out of the way. "What happened, Karen?"

"A squirrel," I said, trying to keep from crying. I didn't want to scare Andrew any more than he already was. "There was a squirrel. Andrew tried to miss it, and he fell and hit his head."

Kristy knelt down beside Andrew. "Listen to me," she said, fighting the panic in her voice. "We need to lay Andrew onto his back. You two take his arms and legs. I've got his head. We need to be very careful here, all right?"

As loud as Andrew was, I was surprised that we could still hear Kristy, but we very, very carefully laid Andrew onto his back. "Okay," Kristy said, yanking off her jacket. "David Michael, get back to the house and get Watson. Karen, I need you to stay here and help me put this under his head." Daivd Michael got back on his bike and took off like a bullet as I tucked Kristy's jacket underneath Andrew's head.

"Is he bleeding?" Kristy asked. "Karen! I said, is he bleeding?"

I shook my head as I felt tears coming to my eyes. All the while, my poor brother was screaming his head off. And I thought _I _had a loud scream!

"Andrew?" Kristy said, still trying to stay calm. "Andy-Pandy?" (That's Mommy's special nickname for him, by the way.) "It's Kristy. Are you all right? What hurts, honey?"

"M-m-my neck!" Andrew sobbed.

"Anything else?"

"N-n-no!"

"Andrew, look at Kristy, okay? Can you wiggle your fingers or toes for me?"

Luckily, Andrew could do both. "Good boy," Kristy panted. "Now, don't panic here, okay? I need you to take some deep breaths for me. Just stay with me, okay, buddy?"

Kristy had managed to calm Andrew down, but I was trying my hardest not to come unglued. Then I heard the sound of a motorbike approaching. I turned around. It was Jason! I ran to the curb.

"Jason!" I yelled, in the loudest possible outdoor voice I could use. "Jason, come quick!"

Jason stopped his bike and ran over. "Kristy, what happened?" he exclaimed.

"He fell off his bike and hit his head," Kristy gulped. "He hurt his neck."

Jason took off his leather jacket, knelt beside Andrew, and put it over him like a blanket. "What's your name, little guy?" he asked.

"Andrew," my little brother said in a trembling voice.

"Andrew, I'm Jason," he said soothingly. "I'm going to help you, all right?"

Andrew nodded.

"Keep him warm," Jason instructed, then unhooked his cell phone from his belt and started dialing.

In the meantime, I couldn't take it anymore. Removing my helmet, I sat down on the curb, buried my face in my hands, and started crying. I was crying so hard that I started to shake and couldn't catch my breath. I thought I was having my first-ever nervous breakdown.

Through my tears, I could hear Jason's voice saying, "Yeah, there's a little boy with a neck injury outside Stoneybrook Elementary. We're holding his head still and keeping him warm...Can he wiggle his fingers or toes?...Yeah...Okay, send an ambulance to Stoneybrook Elementary School right away."

Then I felt a hand on my back and heard Jason's gentle voice saying, "Karen? Karen, look at me, please." I raised my head, but didn't look in his direction. He slipped his other hand under my chin and turned my face toward his. I could hardly see him, because my glasses were so fogged up, but I could tell that his emerald eyes were studying my face intently.

"The ambulance is coming, all right?" he said in that same gentle voice. "Your brother's going to be fine. They're going to take care of him now. Karen, I promise you that Andrew's going to be all right, yes?"

That did it. I took off my glasses, scooted closer to him, and buried my face into his chest. "Shh," he whispered, putting his arms around me and continuing to try to comfort me. "It's okay, love. Everything's going to be all right."

Oooh. He called me "love"! That was so sweet of him, but I was too worried about Andrew to think about that now. Jason took a tissue out of his pocket and handed it to me. Then we rocked back and forth for a minute or two.

Another minute or so later, I heard the station wagon pull up. I looked up to see Daddy and David Michael get out and hurry over to Andrew. Kristy explained to them what had happened.

"...and then Jason put his jacket over Andrew and called the ambulance," Kristy was saying, much calmer than before.

Jason helped me to my feet. I put my glasses on and ran up to Daddy. He hugged me. "You kids did the right thing," he told me. "Everything's going to be all right now."

"Wait!" Kristy remembered. "Where's everybody else?"

"Your mother and Nannie went shopping, your brothers are with their friends, and Emily's at the Kishis'," Daddy answered. "And don't worry. Your mother said she'd call your brothers right away." Then he saw Jason.

"Uh, hi, Mr. Brewer," Jason stammered. He looked a little nervous. Apparently, Kristy had told him what Daddy and Elizabeth had told us. "I'm Jason."

"Watson," Daddy said, extending his hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Jason. I'd just like to say thank you for helping my kids."

Jason sighed with relief. "You're more than welcome, sir," he said, shaking Daddy's hand.

At that moment, the ambulance arrived, and we headed to the hospital with Andrew.


	14. At the Hospital

**CHAPTER 14: At The Hospital**

We were all sitting in the waiting room: Daddy, my brothers, Kristy, and I. Since Jason was the one who had called the ambulance, Daddy said it was all right for him to sit with us, too.

I was sitting on the end of the couch, completely out of it, with Jason's arm around me. I was in such a daze that I didn't hear Nannie and Elizabeth when they came in.

"Oh, Watson," Elizabeth said breathlessly. Her voice brought me right back to reality. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Nannie and Elizabeth hugged Daddy. "Is Andrew all right?" Nannie asked anxiously.

"The doctors are examining him now," Daddy answered. "Oh, this is the young man who called the ambulance."

The two women saw Jason sitting between Kristy and me. "Hi," he said. "I'm Jason. I go to school with Kristy."

Both of them said hello, and thanked him for helping Andrew. They seemed to like him, in spite of what Kristy had said. Finally, Dr. Dellenkamp came out to talk to us.

"How's Andrew?" Daddy asked.

"Well," Dr. Dellenkamp said. "The good news is that Andrew's neck is not broken."

"Oh, praise the Lord," Elizabeth whispered, putting her hand to her heart.

"However," the doctor continued, "when Andrew's head hit that wall, the impact snapped his head back so hard and so fast that it gave him whiplash. He may also have a concussion, because of the helmet. We're going to keep him overnight for observation."

"Thanks, Doc," Daddy said. Just then, Mommy and Seth rushed in. Both of them were worried sick.

"Watson?" Mommy called. I could tell by her voice that she'd been crying. "How is he?"

"Hi, Lisa, Seth," Daddy said. "Well, the doctor says his neck is fine, but they still want to keep him tonight. He suffered whiplash, and might have a concussion."

"Oh, God," Mommy murmured. She clung to Seth's arm. "I hope he's all right."

"I'm sure that he'll be fine," Seth reassured her.

"We'll know for sure by tomorrow, Mrs. Engle," the doctor told Mommy.

"Mommy?" I spoke up finally. "Jason called the ambulance. I saw him on his bike, and got him to stop and help. He took really good care of us."

Mommy went over to Jason and gave him a hug. "Thank you so much," she choked.

"I'll get the necessary paperwork now," Dr. Dellenkamp said. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

After the doctor left, Mommy and Seth sat down across from Daddy, Elizabeth, and Nannie. "It's a good thing that you were there, son," Seth said to Jason.

"We don't know how to thank you enough," Daddy added.

"Does this mean that you're not upset with me?" Jason asked.

All four of my parents, and especially Kristy, were surprised to hear this. "Why would we be upset?" Kristy wanted to know.

"Because of what happened at school," Jason answered. "I've been meaning to tell you why I did what I did, and what makes me the way I am, but I haven't been able to go through with it until now."

He laid his jacket on the back of his chair, took a deep breath, and let it out.

"You see," he began. "For the first few years of my life, it's just been me and my mum. My dad—my real dad, I mean—was killed in the war in Iraq about a month before I was born. Mum and I stayed with my granny—her mother—until Mum got her green card and visa, and we moved to New York when I was four. About a year later, she met Steve, my stepdad, who was already divorced from his first wife, and Bebe wasn't even a year old yet. He told us that he just took Bebe one day, and walked out, leaving her with the divorce papers. Well, they got married about six months after that, and since she already agreed to take his last name, he decided to adopt me as well, so my last name was also changed from Crowe to Everett.

"It was hard, those first few years, living on Long Island, trying to fit in, and sounding nothing like the other kids. I guess my accent never went away completely, and that's why I got picked on so much. In fact, I hardly ever spoke out in class, because I knew I'd be made fun of. It eventually got to the point where I had to resort to my fists to stand up for myself. Well, one day when I was ten-"

"How old are you now, Jason?" Charlie asked, interrupting him.

"Fourteen," he answered. "Anyway, I was on my way to soccer practice when I saw some sixth-grader picking on Bebe. I ran up and told him to leave her alone, of course, then this kid not only made fun of my accent, but he also called my mum a really filthy name, which I'm not going to repeat. I turned around and slugged him in the jaw. We started fighting, then he grabbed a board, hit me in the face with it, and ran."

"Is that how you got your scar?" Sam asked him.

Jason nodded. I'm also not too sure, but I think I saw a tear slide down his face. After wiping it away, he continued, "It wasn't until after he'd run off that I saw a nail sticking out of the board. It looked about a sixteenth of an inch long. That was when I got so dizzy I passed out. When I woke up in the hospital, the doctor told me that if the nail had gotten me an inch higher, I would've lost my eye."

So _that's _what made Jason do what he did. He'd done for Kristy and Abby the same thing he'd done for Bebe. Even though he knew that fighting wasn't allowed, it was all he knew to do.

"Jason," Daddy said, looking him in the eye. "I'm sorry for all that you've been through growing up, and I'm also sorry that Elizabeth and I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt. It's just that when Kristy told us about what had happened at school, it scared us, mostly the thought of her being in harm's way."

"And I'm sorry for telling them too much," Kristy said, patting his arm.

"Aw, that's okay," Jason sighed. "If I were you, I would've squealed on me, too."

"Anyway," Daddy went on. "What's important is that you helped Andrew. He's getting the help he needs, and we're all thankful for that."

"I'm glad I could help," Jason said, managing a tiny smile.

"Well," Mommy said. "The four of us have some paperwork to fill out."

"That's right," Elizabeth remembered. "Mom, do you think you could take the kids home?"

"Sure," Nannie said. "We'll keep dinner warm for you."

"Thanks so much."

"Any time, dear. Come on, kids."

"Thanks, Jason," David Michael said, giving him a Kristy arm-punch.

"You got it," Jason grinned, giving him one back.

I got off my chair, then turned around and gave Jason a kiss, right on his scar. "Thank you, Jason," I whispered, then followed the others out. I was so glad that Jason was there to help, and that my two families trusted him now.


	15. A Talk With Kristy

**CHAPTER 15: A Talk With Kristy**

When we got home from the hospital, Nannie started dinner. Normally, I really like helping in the kitchen, but I was so wrapped up in worrying about Andrew that I couldn't really concentrate. In fact, I accidentally handed Nannie the chili powder instead of the paprika.

After dinner, I decided to talk to Kristy. If there's one person I can always count on, she's the one. I don't know what I'd do without her.

I walked into Kristy's room and found her sitting on the bed, just staring into space. The look on her face was so blank that I couldn't tell whether or not she'd been crying. "Kristy?" I asked.

She looked startled, then saw me standing there. I guessed that she hadn't heard me come in. "Yeah?" she said.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure. Have a seat."

She scooted over, and I sat down beside her. I don't know why, but I couldn't help noticing that she was wearing the plaid slippers I'd gotten her for Christmas last year.

"So, how are you holding up?" she asked, putting an arm around me.

"Well, I know the doctor said that Andrew's neck is fine, but I still can't get what happened today out of my head," I confessed. "I also couldn't help wondering how Andrew must feel about having to spend the night in the hospital."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Kristy said. "I felt the same way when I had my appendix out."

"Remember the card I sent?" I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," she said. I could tell she was laughing, because her eyes get really narrow, and she gets little wrinkles in her face. It makes her look like that one girl elf from _The Santa Clause. _"I know what S.W.A.K. means, too."

"Do you?"

She nodded. "Sealed With A Kiss."

"Aaanywaaay..." we both said. I couldn't help giggling.

"Let's not forget the time I fell out of my treehouse at Mommy's and had my spleen removed," I pointed out.

"Ow," Kristy shuddered. "That had to have hurt, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea," I said. "After I got out of the hospital, I was so afraid of having another accident that I actually considered making all of my clothes out of foam rubber!" Even though I don't like to talk about that, I had to laugh with Kristy.

"Boy, it's a good thing you saw Jason when you did," Kristy said. "Otherwise, Andrew would still be lying there, and I would've lost it long before you did."

"I know. He was so nice to me when I was sitting on the curb and crying like a baby. And you know what? He called me 'love'."

"Really?"

I nodded. "I don't think he even noticed that I was getting his shirt all wet. I even kissed him."

"Yeah, I saw," Kristy said. "You know, just between the two of us, if I were you, I would've kissed him, too."

_I _knew _you thought he was cute, _I thought. "So, do you think Andrew has a concussion?" I asked worriedly.

"I don't know, kiddo," Kristy sighed. "I hope not. But you know, if it wasn't for his helmet, he could've either busted his head open or suffered brain damage, so let's at least be thankful that he was wearing it."

"Oh, absolutely," I agreed, laying my head on Kristy's shoulder. I wasn't crying yet, but a tear slid down my face anyway. Kristy wiped it away with her thumb.

"Shh," she whispered. Normally, Kristy hates it when people cry, but considering what we'd just been through, she was willing to make an exception. "He'll be all right."

I gave Kristy a hug. I'm so glad I have someone like her to talk to.


	16. The Next Day

**CHAPTER 16: The Next Day**

During the night, I couldn't stop thinking about how Jason had helped Andrew, and kept me from losing control. I even dreamed that I was on the back of his bike as we were driving through the desert. And no, we weren't anywhere near Four Corners. (Daddy and Elizabeth had once taken me, my brothers, and Kristy's friends, Abby, Jessi, and Mallory on a RV trip, and that was one of the places we'd stopped.) By the way, Four Corners is a spot out West where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico touch points. It's marked by a sign, and people can experience being in four states at once, which is what my brothers and I did.

Anyway, back to the dream. The sun was setting, and the sky was all these different shades of purple, pink, and orange. In the distance, I could hear a wolf howling.

"Having fun?" Jason called, over the bike's motor.

"Yeah!" I shouted back. Even though both of us were wearing helmets, the wind still blew our hair around. In fact, I had to lean the side of my head against his back so his ponytail wouldn't hit me in the face. It was such a nice dream.

The next morning, I woke up to see that it was raining, but not very hard. Still, it was no day to go bike-riding. Oh, well.

I got out of bed and went downstairs for breakfast. Daddy, Elizabeth, Emily, and David Michael were sitting at the table, and Nannie was cooking.

"'Morning, Karen," Daddy said, pouring himself some coffee.

"Hi," I yawned. "What time are we going to the hospital?"

"They should be calling any minute now," Elizabeth answered. She was reading the horoscope section of _The Stoneybrook News, _and apparently, what she read made no sense whatsoever. "Who wrote this? Yoda?" I tried to stifle my giggles.

At that moment, Kristy and her older brothers came downstairs. Even though they were wondering when Andrew would be coming home, none of them showed it. That's when the phone rang. Nannie went to answer it, and Kristy started serving breakfast.

"Hello?" Nannie said from the next room. We stopped what we were doing to listen. "Really? Oh, thank God, that's wonderful," Nannie was saying. "Yes, we'll be there as soon as we can. 'Bye."

She hung up the phone and came back into the kitchen. "Andrew doesn't have a concussion!" she announced happily.

I was _soooo _happy. I jumped out of my chair and let out a cheer, then ran over and hugged Nannie. Everyone else was smiling, laughing, cheering, and wiping away tears of joy. When the celebration died down (yes, we can be a pretty wild bunch), Daddy called Mommy and Seth with the good news.


	17. Welcome Home, Andrew!

**CHAPTER 17: Welcome Home, Andrew!**

After breakfast, Daddy and Elizabeth left to pick Andrew up at the hospital. Kristy also left, because she was going to a baby-sitting job at the Newtons'. (Their son, Jamie, who's Andrew's age, is on the same softball team with my brothers and me.) Charlie was going to give her a ride, of course. The rest of us stayed home to clean the house.

Before they came back, Nannie called us into the living room for a meeting. David Michael and I sat on the couch, Sam sat in the armchair, and held Emily on his lap.

"Now, kids," Nannie began, "the doctor says Andrew's going to be in a neck brace for the next six weeks, but after that, he should be as good as new. As a favor to me, though, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't say anything to him about it."

We all agreed. Charlie came home a few minutes later, and we told him the same thing Nannie had just told us. He also agreed not to bring it up.

Just then, the car pulled into the driveway. Daddy, Elizabeth, and Andrew came inside, and Daddy was carrying Andrew. When he set him down, the first thing I noticed was Andrew's neck brace. It looked like a giant marshmallow had wrapped itself around his neck. Just looking at it made me feel so sorry for him.

"Hi, Andrew," I said, trying to sound cheerful. And in a way, I was, mostly because I was glad to see him.

"Hi," Andrew whispered. Despite not being able to talk very loudly or move his head, he seemed fine.

I led Andrew over to the couch, took off his jacket, and handed it to Daddy to hang up. Next, I put a pillow behind his back, and covered him up to his waist with a blanket. In case you're wondering, I pretty much knew what to do, because that's how I was treated when I broke my wrist, and when Emilky had those tubes put in her ears, I took care of her the same way.

"Can we get you anything?" Daddy asked.

As soon as Daddy said that, all of us ran off and came back with stuffed animals, toys, books, you name it. Charlie even had a candy bar.

"I'll take the candy bar," Andrew decided. He must have been pretty hungry. At least he didn't lose his appetite!


	18. The Surprise Visitors

A/N: This is the last chapter, sorry to say.

**CHAPTER 18: The Surprise Visitors**

Kristy came home about two hours later. Apparently, Charlie had told her what Nannie had told us, because she didn't say a word about Andrew's neck brace.

For Andrew, the worst part wasn't keeping his head still and not speaking above a whisper during the day. It wasn't the pain, either. It was the medicine he was given. Not only did he make a face each time he took it, but he could barely stay awake during the day. And bike-riding was out of the question, too.

On Tuesday afternoon when I got home from school, I found Andrew taking a nap. I'd just gotten in the door, taken my stuff to my room, and hung my jacket up, when the doorbell rang. Usually, if I'm the first one to hear it, which today, I was, I shout, "I'll get it!" (Okay, all together now: "INDOOR VOICE, KAREN"), but I didn't want to wake Andrew, so I walked very quietly to the door.

It was Jason and Bebe, and both of them had get-well gifts for Andrew.

"Hi," I whispered. "Come on in, but try to be quiet. Andrew's taking a nap."

Bebe nodded. They hung their jackets up and followed me into the living room. Andrew was just starting to wake up.

"Andrew?" I said softly. "Hey, Andrew, look who's here."

Andrew's eyes fluttered open, and with some help from me, sat up. "Hi," he said weakly.

"Hi, kid," Jason said. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, my neck's still sore, and that sludge they call medicine makes me sleepy, but other than that-" And he gave the thumbs-up sign. "By the way, thank you for saving my life."

"Any time," Jason grinned.

"Oh, we each got you a little something," Bebe said. They sat on the couch and gave Andrew his presents.

Bebe's present was a Blue's Clues sound-and-picture book. If you ask me, that was something Andrew could definitely use, because he was learning to read. Jason's present was a dark blue hooded sweatshirt with the letters "VH" scrawled in silver over the front. Andrew loved both presents, but we wondered what "VH" stood for.

"Van Halen," Jason answered. "They were a little before your time."

"Thanks," Andrew said happily as he set the sweatshirt aside and started playing with the sounds in the book.

I gave Jason another hug and kiss. "Thanks for everything," I said. "Both of you."

He truly was, and always will be, my hero.

**THE END**


End file.
